From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Harold Arlen (February 15, 1905 – April 23,
1986) was an Americancomposer of popular music. Having written over
500 songs, a number of which have become known the world over. In
addition to being the composer of The Wizard of Oz, Arlen is a
highly regarded contributor to the Great American Songbook. His
1938 song "Over the Rainbow” was voted the
twentieth century's No. 1 song by the Recording Industry
Association of America (RIAA) and the National Endowment for the
Arts (NEA).[1]

Contents

Biography

Arlen was born Chaim Arlook, in Buffalo, New
York, the child of a Jewish cantor. His twin brother died the next day. He
learned the piano as a youth and
formed a band as a young man. He achieved some local success as a
pianist and singer and moved to New York City in his early 20s. He worked
as an accompanist in vaudeville.[2] At this
point, he changed his name to Harold Arlen. Between 1926 and about
1934, Arlen appeared occasionally as a band vocalist on records by
The Buffalodians, Red
Nichols, Joe
Venuti, Leo
Reisman and Eddie Duchin, usually singing his own
compositions.

Harold
Arlen timeline

1920 (Age 15) He formed his first professional band, Hyman
Arluck's Snappy Trio.

1921 (16) Against his parent's wishes he left home.

1923 (18) With his new band - The Southbound Shufflers,
performed on the Crystal Beach lake boat "Canadiana" during the
summer of 1923.

1924 (19) Performed at Lake Shore Manor during the summer of
1924.

1924 (19) Wrote his first song, collaborating with friend Hyman
Cheiffetz to write "My Gal, My Pal". Copyrighting the song as "My
Gal, Won't You Please Come Back to Me?" and listed lyrics by
Cheiffetz and music by Harold Arluck.

1925 (20) Makes his way to New York City with the group, The
Buffalodians, with Arlen playing piano.

1926 (21) Had first published song, collaborating with Dick
George to compose "Minor Gaff (Blues Fantasy)" under the name
Harold Arluck.

1954 (49) Becomes dangerously ill with a bleeding ulcer and is
hospitalized but recovers to work with Truman Capote on the musical House of Flowers.

1956 (51) His mother Celia Arluck dies and Harold doesn't touch
music for over a year, mourning her loss.

1961-1976 (55-71) Wrote over 50 songs and continued a successful
career.

1970 (65) Arlen's wife Anya Taranda dies from a brain tumor.
Arlen begins to lose interest in life, withdrawing from friends and
family and becoming more reclusive.

1974 (69) Composes theme song for the ABCsitcomPaper
Moon, based on a 1973 Peter Bogdanovich film of the same
name. [Paper Moon was a hit song in *1933* and gave its name to the
movie, not the other way around.]

Like a straw in the wind I go whirling around Like a bird who’s
just learnin’ to fly Feet are not on the ground Drift from pillar
to post So helplessly What wanted the most Winds up a ghostly
memory My man is gone And when your man is gone Your world just
falls apart Hmm... nothing you try to do Helps you to comfort your
heart Don’t yo’ heart get all the breaks Where your hopes come
unpinned Trouble steps in and makes You feel like a straw in the
wind

Films

2003 – Stormy Weather: The Music of Harold Arlen.
Directed by Larry Weinstein.